Supreme Court Dismisses Plea to Make Yoga Compulsory in Schools

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a PIL, which had sought to make Yoga compulsory in schools across India.

A bench headed by Justice MB Lokur dismissed the plea and said it is for the government to take a decision on such an issue.

“We are nobody to say what is to be taught in schools. It is none of our business. How can we direct that” the bench said.

The apex court said it was not possible for it to grant the relief as sought by petitioners – Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, a lawyer and Delhi BJP spokesperson and J C Seth.

“What is to be taught in schools is not a fundamental right,” it said.

The plea had said, “State has an obligation to provide health facilities to all the citizens, especially to children and adolescents. In a welfare state, it is an obligation of the State to ensure the creation and sustenance of conditions congenial to good health.”

It had said that right to health cannot be secured without providing ‘yoga and health education’ to all children or without framing a ‘National Yoga Policy’ to promote and propagate it.